Ceramic and glass business news of the week

GE Aviation recently broke ground on two adjacent factories to mass-produce silicon carbide materials used to manufacture ceramic matrix composite components for jet engines and land-based gas turbines for electric power. GE Aviation is investing more than $200 million to construct two factories on 100 acres in Huntsville, Ala.

Richard Stephens Jr. will serve as acting vice president for Statutory Affairs, making him head of the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. And Alastair N. Cormack, a member of the Alfred faculty for more than 30 years, as well as founding dean of the Inamori School of Engineering, will become acting dean of the School; both vacancies were created when Doreen Edwards recently resigned.

Through a new technology partnership with the Swedish company Exmet, the Heraeus technology group has now broadened its portfolio of 3-D-printed metals to include amorphous metals. Heraeus contributes its extensive materials expertise, while Exmet brings their proficiency in manufacturing with 3D printing.

The Obama administration selected a Los Angeles group to lead an effort aimed at making manufacturing companies more competitive globally by helping them consume less energy and produce less pollution. The Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition in Los Angeles will receive $70 million from the federal government to establish the ninth of 15 “manufacturing hubs.”

Do you have questions regarding milling, mixing, particle characterization, particle size analysis, or other topics related to nanotechnology? Dr. Stefan Mende, renowned nanotechnology expert and manager of technical and scientific communications for Netzsch’s Grinding and Dispersing division in Germany, will be conducting several seminars across the U.S. from October 17–27. Contact Marketing.Npt@netzsch.com for additional information.

The American Concrete Institute announced the availability of the new ACI 562-16: Code Requirements for Evaluation, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Concrete Buildings and Commentary. ACI 562-16 provides minimum performance requirements that address the unique nature of existing building construction, rather than specific formulas that must be followed in any situation.

Industrial manufacturing businesses can save over 30% on electrical bills, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 5%, by adjusting production schedules, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York. The researchers determined that a company could save 30.45% on its electric bill by rescheduling work patterns around critical-peak electrical events.

Flat glass prices continued to increase in May, according to the latest Producer Price Index released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices jumped 0.5% for the month following a 0.6% increase in April. Material prices are up 7.7% from May 2015. May’s flat glass index represented its third month-over-month increase in 2016. The current index sits at 131.6.

The entrepreneurial spirit still rings true in the powder metallurgy industry, and confidence remains strong within executive offices and on the shop floors in the majority of industry companies. Following a healthy 2015, the year opened on a positive trend with modest growth forecast by most informed observers.

Nissan Motor Co. said it was developing fuel cell vehicle technology using ethanol as a hydrogen source in what would be an industry first, and planned to commercialize its system in 2020 as part of efforts to develop cleaner cars. The Japanese company said using ethanol, produced from crops including sugar cane and corn, to generate hydrogen-based electricity inside vehicles would be cheaper than fuel cell technology developed separately by rivals.

Employing approximately 20,000 people in the U.K., generating £2 billion in sales and exporting all over the world, the ceramics industry is undoubtedly one of huge importance to Great Britain. However, the ceramics industry is approaching a worrying period.

EFI launched two new, advanced digital inkjet printing technologies at the May 27–30 Ceramics China tradeshow in Guangzhou, driving more value and efficiency for customers in the analogue-to-digital transition in ceramic tile decoration. One of the new printers, the EFI Cretaprint M4 platform, allows customers to print on popular, larger tile sizes.